For most tradespeople, the family question is the move. Who can come with you, when your spouse can work, whether your kids can go to school straight away, and whether you can actually afford the city you are aiming at: these decide whether the move succeeds. The headline reassurance is that your immediate family travels with you on a permanent-residence application, your spouse can usually work, and school is free. The detail, and the genuine traps, are below. Treat every dollar figure here as approximate and dated to early 2026; confirm the current numbers before you budget on them.
Who you can include
On a permanent-residence application you can include your spouse or common-law partner and your dependent children (generally those under 22 who are not themselves married or in a common-law relationship), plus a dependent child of a dependent child. Your dependants travel with you or follow you; they cannot arrive before you land.
Parents and grandparents cannot go on your initial application. They are sponsored later, after you yourself become a permanent resident, through a separate and often heavily subscribed sponsorship program. Plan on the basis that they come in a second wave, not with you.
Can your spouse work? The 2025 rules
This changed significantly and it matters for your household income. As of 21 January 2025, a spousal open work permit is no longer automatic. It is limited to spouses of principal applicants working in TEER 0 or TEER 1 occupations and a select set of TEER 2 and TEER 3 occupations. The good news for tradespeople: construction is an eligible sector, and most construction trades sit in TEER 2 or TEER 3, so a tradesperson's spouse generally can qualify. Two conditions to watch: the principal applicant's work permit must have at least 16 months remaining when the spouse applies, and the spouse must intend to live in Canada. Note also that dependent children of foreign workers are no longer eligible for their own open work permits under the former measure.
A spouse who is also a qualified professional or tradesperson goes through their own credential-recognition process; there is no fast-track for spouses, and trades credentials are assessed by the provincial authority where they plan to work.
Healthcare: the wait depends on the province
Public healthcare is funded provincially, and the waiting period for new arrivals is not the same everywhere. Get this right, because the wrong assumption can leave your family uninsured.
- Ontario (OHIP): no waiting period. Coverage starts from day one for those with valid status. Ontario eliminated the three-month wait, so do not assume otherwise.
- British Columbia (MSP): up to about three months (typically to the end of your second full month of residency). Buy interim private cover for the gap.
- Several other provinces (for example Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, New Brunswick) also apply up to roughly a three-month wait; Manitoba and Nova Scotia generally do not.
Where there is a wait, private newcomer health insurance is essential. A family with two adults and two young children can expect interim premiums in the region of 250 to 500 dollars a month depending on coverage; confirm current quotes.
Schooling is free
Public school for children is free, with compulsory schooling generally covering ages 5 to 16 (the exact upper age varies slightly by province). Children with valid status enrol in the local public system; bring proof of address, immigration documents and immunisation records. ESL or EAL support is widely available, and Quebec runs French-language integration classes for newcomer children.
Cost of living by province
These are approximate monthly figures for orientation only, dated to early 2026, and housing dominates them. Rents have eased from their peaks in the biggest cities but remain high. Re-check current figures before you commit.
| Province (main city) | Indicative family-of-four monthly, all-in | Affordability |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario (Toronto and GTA) | roughly 6,800 to 7,900 dollars | High cost |
| British Columbia (Greater Vancouver) | roughly 6,600 to 7,700 dollars | High cost |
| Alberta (Calgary, Edmonton) | roughly 5,800 to 6,600 dollars | Moderate |
| Quebec (Montreal) | roughly 5,300 to 6,000 dollars | Moderate |
| Manitoba (Winnipeg) | roughly 5,400 to 6,100 dollars | Affordable |
| Nova Scotia (Halifax) | roughly 4,900 to 5,500 dollars | Moderate |
Source: aggregated regional cost-of-living analysis drawing on Statistics Canada data, early 2026. One more budget factor: sales tax ranges from 5 percent in Alberta (no provincial sales tax) to around 15 percent in the Atlantic provinces, which adds up over a family year.
Where tradespeople tend to settle
- Alberta (Calgary, Edmonton): lower cost of living, no provincial income tax, strong and sustained trades demand. The compulsory-certification list is extensive, so factor in licensing.
- British Columbia (Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island): the highest wages and the highest cost of living; high union density; a trades stream in the provincial nominee program.
- Ontario (the GTA, Ottawa): the largest labour market and strong wages in some trades, but high housing costs in Toronto.
- Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island): lower cost of living, a structured employer-led route through the Atlantic Immigration Program, a smaller but growing market.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a three-month health wait everywhere. Ontario has no wait; BC and several others do. Buy interim cover where it applies.
- Banking on a spousal open work permit without checking the rules. Construction qualifies, but the 16-months-remaining condition is real.
- Choosing a city on wages alone. A higher Vancouver or Toronto wage can be eaten entirely by housing. Compare take-home against local cost.
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